Introducing yourself to faculty

[Minerva1917]

Hello!

So for visiting day, the program that just accepted me is arranging for me to meet faculty members I am interested in working with, and I am SO nervous.

What will those conversations be like? Should I be prepared to answer detailed questions about my research interests or my research project? To be totally honest, at the moment I have NO idea what my dissertation will be on and even what general area I will be focusing on. I'm a literature student, and a part of me is thinking of switching from contemporary literature to early modern/17th-century lit...

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Hope.for.the.best]

On 3/1/2019 at 1:02 PM, Minerva1917 said:

What will those conversations be like? Should I be prepared to answer detailed questions about my research interests or my research project? To be totally honest, at the moment I have NO idea what my dissertation will be on and even what general area I will be focusing on. I'm a literature student, and a part of me is thinking of switching from contemporary literature to early modern/17th-century lit...

Thanks in advance for your help!

It really depends on your school. But then since you have been accepted by your program, I have a feeling that it would be more like a casual chat than an interview with faculty members. It would not hurt to prepare for responses for your research interests and project though, as these are often the conversation topics when getting to know each other in an academic setting. Try to take it easy as if you are meeting new friends. Good luck! 

[Rosenfleuter]

(If I'm too late responding to this thread than I apologize) but I really don't think it's a huge deal not knowing what you want your dissertation / thesis will be. Graduate school is about broadening your ideas and your horizons. There are a plethora of subjects and topics that the average student has yet to learn about, and I think bringing up your undergraduate work and interests may help you connect with the faculty members / advisor and they may lead you down a path that you may not have even considered. Be honest about it, they know you're not coming in with all of the answers. In the program I just got accepted into, we don't even start exploring thesis ideas until Year 2.